Method and device for determining and presenting surface charge and dipole densities on cardiac walls

Abstract

The invention discloses a method, a system, a computer program and a device for determining the surface charge and / or dipole densities on heart walls. Using the foregoing, a table of dipole densities ν(P′, t) and / or a table of surface charge densities ρ(P′, t) of a given heart chamber can be generated.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application, filed in accordance with 35 USC 371, is a national stage application of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT / CH2007 / 000380 filed Aug. 3, 2007, entitled METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING AND PRESENTING SURFACE CHARGE AND DIPOLE DENSITIES ON CARDIAC WALLS, which is incorporated herein by reference, which in turn claims priority to Swiss Patent Application 1251 / 06 filed Aug. 3, 2006.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a method, a system, a computer program and a device for determining the surface charge and / or dipole densities on heart walls in order to locate the origin(s) of cardiac arrhythmias.BACKGROUND[0003]For localizing the origin(s) of cardiac arrhythmias it is common practice to measure the electric potentials located on the inner surface of the heart by electrophysiological means within the patient's heart. For example, for this purpose electrode catheters can be inserted into the hear...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention relates to a method and system for determining a database table of surface charge densities and dipole densities in a heart chamber. The invention uses surface charge density and dipole density information to better predict cardiac arrhythmias. The method involves measuring and recording electric potentials in the heart chamber, transforming them into surface charge density and dipole density data, and storing them in a database. The system can also include an imaging unit to represent the dipole densities as a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional image. The technical effect of the invention is to provide a more accurate tool for predicting cardiac arrhythmias and diagnosing heart disease."

Problems solved by technology

It has the inherent limitation that cardiac activation can only be assessed simultaneously at the points in contact with the myocardium.

Hence, an instant map of the entire cardiac activation is impossible because the entire heart chamber cannot be contacted without compromising blood circulation.

However, the disadvantage of non-contact mapping is that it relies on farfield potentials, which do not allow for the same precision in localization as contact mapping (i.e. measuring local electrograms (potentials) of cardiac activation by touching the endocardium at the site of interest with a mapping electrode).

Furthermore, non-contact mapping is more prone to artifact generation and interference from potentials generated by cardiac re-polarization and adjacent heart chambers (atria / ventricles).

One the other side, in many cases these drawbacks also render the localization of cardiac arrhythmias a time-consuming frustrating intervention.

The disadvantage of both mapping methods, i.e. contact and non-contact types, is the representation of the electric activity of the heart by means of potentials, that are the result of a summation of electric activities of many cardiac cells.

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